Allium plant named ‘IFALCOD’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Allium plant named ‘IFALCOD’, characterized by its upright plant habit with upright flowering stems; moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit and moderately rapid growth rate; ensiform medium green-colored leaves; early and freely flowering habit; numerous white-colored flowers arranged on dense inflorescences; long flowering period; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Allium tuberosum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘IFALCOD’.

PLANT BREEDER'S RIGHTS APPLICATION INFORMATION

An European Community Plant Breeder's Rights application for the instant plant was filed by the Applicant/Assignee, Innoflora Plant Breeding B.V. of Heerhugowaard, The Netherlands on Aug. 31, 2020, application number 2020/2058. Foreign priority is not claimed to this application.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Allium plant, botanically known as Allium tuberosum and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘IFALCOD’.

The new Allium plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Heerhugowaard, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact and freely-flowering Allium plants with attractive flowers and good container and garden performance.

The new Allium plant originated from an open-pollination in May, 2007 of an unnamed selection of Allium tuberosum, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown selection of Allium tuberosum as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Allium plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated open-pollination grown in a controlled greenhouse environment in Heerhugowaard, The Netherlands in 2010.

Asexual reproduction of the new Allium plant by divisions in a controlled environment in Heerhugowaard, The Netherlands since 2011 has shown that the unique features of this new Allium plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Allium have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘IFALCOD’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘IFALCOD’ as a new and distinct Allium plant:

-   -   1. Upright plant habit with upright flowering stems.     -   2. Moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit and moderately         rapid growth rate.     -   3. Ensiform medium green-colored leaves.     -   4. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   5. Numerous white-colored flowers arranged on dense         inflorescences.     -   6. Long flowering period.     -   7. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Allium differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Allium are more compact than plants of the         female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Allium are more freely flowering than         plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Allium can be compared to plants of Allium hybrida ‘Milennium’, not patented. Plants of the new Allium differ primarily from plants of ‘Milennium’ in flower color as plants of the new Allium have white-colored flowers whereas plants of ‘Millennium’ have purple-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Allium plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Allium plant.

The photograph on the first sheet (FIG. 1) is a side perspective view of typical flowering plant of ‘IFALCOD’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the left side of the second sheet (FIG. 2) is a close-up view of typical inflorescences of ‘IFALCOD’.

The photograph on the right side of the second sheet (FIG. 3) is a close-up view of typical leaves of ‘IFALCOD’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the late summer in 15-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Heerhugowaard, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial Allium production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 15° C. to 30° C. and night temperatures ranged from 8° C. to 20° C. Plants were five months old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Allium tuberosum ‘IFALCOD’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed selection of Allium             tuberosum, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Allium             tuberosum, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By divisions.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three             months at temperatures about 18° C.         -   Root description.—Thick; fleshy; typically white in color,             actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate             composition, water quality, fertilizer type and formulation,             substrate temperature and physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; sparse.         -   Bulbs.—To date, bulb development has not been observed on             plants of the new Allium. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial typically grown             as a garden plant; upright plant habit, overall plant shape,             broadly ovate; moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit             and moderate growth rate; globular basal rosette of leaves             with upright flowering stems.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 27.3             cm.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of floral plane.—About 38.5             cm.         -   Plant width (spread).—About 43.5 cm. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Leaves are arranged in basal rosettes with             about five to seven leaves per rosette; leaves sheathing and             sessile.         -   Length.—About 25.6 cm.         -   Width.—About 5 mm to 9 mm.         -   Shape.—Ensiform; blade is mostly flat.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Sheathing.         -   Margin.—Entire, not undulate.         -   Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth,             glabrous; slightly glossy.         -   Venation pattern.—Parallel.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 143A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to between 143B and             144A. Fully developed leaves, upper surface: Close to             between 137B and 143A; venation, close to between 137B and             143A. Fully developed leaves, lower surface: Close to 137B;             venation, close to 143A.         -   Leaf sheaths.—Length: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous; slightly glossy. Color, upper and lower surfaces:             Close to 157C to 157D. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type, arrangement and habit.—Single rotate flowers             arranged on umbels; umbels flattened globular in shape;             freely flowering habit with about 55 flowers developing per             inflorescence and about 1,200 flowers per plant; flowers             face upright to outwardly depending on position on the             umbel.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower from July into             September in The Netherlands; plants begin flowering about             four months after planting rooted young plants.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—Individual flowers last about             3.5 weeks on the plant; flowers persistent.         -   Fragrance.—Faint; sweet and pleasant, onion-like.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 6 mm. Diameter: About 3.5 mm.             Shape: Oblong. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous;             slightly glossy. Color: Close to NN155C; main veins, close             to 177B.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 3.1 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 4.9 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 1.2 cm by 1.2 cm.         -   Flower depth.—About 6 mm.         -   Tepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Six arranged in two             whorls. Upper whorl of tepals: Length: About 6 mm. Width:             About 3 mm. Shape: Ovate to broadly ovate, concave. Apex:             Broadly and bluntly acute. Base: Broadly cuneate. Margin:             Entire, not undulate. Texture and luster, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; slightly glossy. Color: When             opening, upper surface: Close to NN155D. When opening, lower             surface: Close to NN155B. Fully opened, upper surface: Close             to NN155D; venation, close to NN155D; color does not change             with subsequent development. Fully opened, lower surface:             Close to NN155B; venation, close to 177C and distally, close             to 177D; color does not change with subsequent development.             Lower whorl of tepals: Length: About 6 mm. Width: About             2.25 mm. Shape: Ovate to broadly ovate, concave. Apex:             Acute. Base: Broadly cuneate. Margin: Entire, not undulate.             Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous; slightly glossy. Color: When opening, upper             surface: Close to NN155D. When opening, lower surface: Close             to NN155B. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to NN155D;             venation, close to NN155D; color does not change with             subsequent development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close             to NN155B; venation, close to 144C and distally, close to             177B; color does not change with subsequent development.         -   Scapes.—Length: About 30.1 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm by 7 mm.             Aspect: Erect to about 15° from vertical. Strength: Strong.             Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; glaucous. Color: Close             to 137A; waxy layer, close to 191A.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1.9 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Aspect: Erect to horizontal depending on position on umbel.             Strength: Strong. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous;             moderately glossy. Color: Close to 143B.         -   Inflorescence bracts.—Arrangement: Subtending the tepals and             bi-parted. Length: About 1.6 cm. Width: About 1 cm. Texture:             Papery. Color: Close to 150D; venation, close to 144C and             becoming closer to 162A with development.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Six.             Filament length: About 4 mm. Filament color: Close to             NN155C. Anther shape: Basifixed, oblong. Anther size: About             1 mm by 2 mm. Anther color: Close to N167C. Pollen amount:             Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 12A. Pistils: Quantity per             flower: One. Pistil length: About 3 mm. Style length: About             3 mm. Style color: Close to NN155D. Stigma size: About 0.2             mm by 0.5 mm. Stigma shape: Pointed. Stigma color: Close to             NN155D. Ovary color: Close to between 147A and N189B.         -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit production have             not been observed on plants of the new Allium. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Allium have     not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Allium plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Allium have exhibited good     tolerance to rain, wind and temperatures ranging from about −23° C.     to about 40° C. and to be suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 10. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Allium plant named ‘IFALCOD’ as illustrated and described. 